A team from the UAE official Haj Mission is probing complaints made by pilgrims regarding small size of rooms and delay in meal timings.
Members of the Follow up Committee at the mission conducted surprise inspections to verify Haj operators’ commitment to the rules set by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Awqaf (GAIAA).
“Two contractors were found to be in violation of the GAIAA standards and specifications relating to the size of room,” said the committee head Rashid Al Mazrouei.
Al Mazrouei added that despite complaining about the size of rooms, 140 pilgrims opted to continue to stay in the same accommodation because it is adjacent to the Al Masjid Al Haram and other shrines.
He also said that some pilgrims complained that they had not received their identity cards since their arrival last Tuesday which limited their movement.
Al Mazrouei indicated that the GAIAA has 16 standards for operators to comply with, including separation between men and women in accommodations, putting pilgrims names on the doors of their respective rooms, public hygiene and maintenance of the building.